Not Today
by war on joypiter
Summary: Lucas&Haley Friendship ficlet. Haley anticipates Lucas' first visit back after leaving with Keith. Finished - please RR.


A/N: My first attempt at One Tree Hill fanfiction. Just a cutesy fluff piece. Read and review. Let me know of any ideas or improvements for future fics.

The daily calendar page was ripped from the others in one fluent motion and quickly tossed in the air, August 15th floating slowly down to the floor of her bedroom. Normally Haley James would have thrown it away properly, always keeping her room neat and tidy, two things her parents adored about her. Not today though. No, it could wait. She hardly thought one small square of paper would taint her bedroom to the point in which she'd have to spend hours cleaning it up.

"Well..." she stated, her eyes scanning the room before landing on the paper. Glancing around, as if she was about commit a crime and needed to make sure there were no witnesses, Haley quickly picked it up, tossing it in her small trash bin. "Better safe than sorry." Normally she would have felt weird for talking to herself at seven in the morning. Not today though. Definitely not today.

She was to be at Karen's at eight, but not for work. She didn't have to work – not today, at least. This gave her enough time for a quick shower and an outfit change before heading over. At least, it did if she hurried and stopped talking to herself in her empty bedroom.

"Is he here yet?" Haley asked quickly as she entered Karen's Café. Her eyes were wide as she glanced at her watch. It was only two minutes past eight, but she worried that, with her luck, he'd arrived in those two minutes.

Karen shook her head, her new shorter haircut bobbing a bit, and she poured some coffee into a cup. "Would you like some, Haley?" she asked the younger girl. Haley tugged at her lip a bit as she stared out the window in a daze. "Haley?" The girl turned to face her best friend's mother, laughing to herself.

"Sorry," she replied, dropping her hands to her side. "I'm not all here."

"You're excited to see him," Karen noted, lifting the cup to her mouth and blowing softly before taking a sip. "It's understandable for you to be a bit frazzled."

Haley's jaw dropped a bit, her expression amused as she took a seat on one of the stools at the counter. "I am not frazzled," she argued, rolling her eyes. "It's just...he's been gone all summer." He shoulders shrugged and she grabbed a napkin from the dispenser near her. She began to fold it, biting at her lip. "I know I've talked to him on the phone, but he's back on our turf. I don't know how much leaving this little bubble we call Tree Hill has changed him. What if he suddenly thinks everything here is lame?" Normally she would not be this worried – but not today.

Karen laughed softly at the girl's ramblings. She wasn't doing it in a mean way, which Haley understood. It was hard to keep a straight face at her words, something Haley knew as she had begun to laugh as well. It wasn't long before they were both emerged in fits of laughter. Their sounds covered the small bell sound that happened in the next minute, the one whose arrival they waited for entering.

"Did I miss something?" Lucas asked, walking over to his mother and best friend. Haley's laughter died down, her face brightening as she heard his words. Her body had a mind of its own and quickly she wrapped her arms around his neck for a hug. He returned the motion, his arms squeezing her tiny frame. "So, did I miss something?" he tried again, wondering what their laughter was over.

"Far too much," Haley replied, releasing him from her grasp. She looked him over once. He was still the same Lucas, minus a recent haircut. "I like the new look," she stated, running her hand through what hair was left.

"Thanks. I figured you'd hate it," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Her eyes widened a bit. "Oh? So you got it anyway?"

He nodded. "Well, I don't really care what you think," he stated, unable to fight a smirk.

"I'm glad you're here," she said. Even if it was just for a visit, it was still good. Granted, her statement did not fit in with their playful banter, but her thoughts were not coming complete at the moment, so it was better to speak what she knew than try to engage in their usual act. There would be time for that later.

"I'm glad I am too. I didn't expect you, actually."

Haley raised an eyebrow, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Why do you say that?" she asked, unable to think of any reason why she wouldn't be there to greet her best friend.

"Well, I figured you'd be with Nathan." There was no bitterness in his tone- it was simply a fact, one they both had accepted a while ago.

She shook her head, wrapping an arm around him. Grinning happily, she squeezed his shoulder. "Not today."


End file.
